THE RACE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 541, 23 June 1909, Page 8

THE RACE.

HOW THE CONTEST. WAS LOST AND wort. Mr. Tuck won and Webb took the inside position,' the left-hand'side facing down stream. "' Without any unnecessary manoeuvring or breaking, a beautiful start, was effected,' tho two men moving off abreast like clockwork. Arnst did 'not settle hra opponent so Bpcctacularly ■!at, the._^start ■■ as ■'in. the >last,' race. He;rowed with;a long,..swinging stroke, getting in: 34-toyth'e' minita,''whilst \Vebb, row!ing .37-' >to , 'the minuted. .to'be sKghtlyi, and':he ;more catch ' and "hit. than '/did ..Webhi! who rowed moire neat^, -yet ;> lie ; .latter-did. ;.not\ :;;;■.■■.:-. ■ •-■','/,'-■:*'.A : ;■■ . . : ■ -. ■ ; T -' '■•

Approaching the mile, which was accomplished in smin. 15sec, Arnsfc and Webb woro almost level, but tho champion soon got ahead of the challenger. The rate at this point was: Arnst 26 to tho minute, Webb 25. At a mile and a quarter Arnst was nearly a length to tho good, and was apparently keeping within himself. Webb appeared to bo tiring. Clvlng Webb His Wash. At two miles, which was done in lOmin. 52sec., Arnst was two lengths ahead of the challenger, and was giving Webb his wash, but;'the latter's.'strenuous efforts soon decreasedthe gap. : : '■ ■ ;,f '.' :",, ■■..;...• At the; bend Arnst ;was in Webb's water, the latter 'being some , ', three..or ..four lengths behind, but rowing splendidly, "and it ; looked as if ho would 'overlap Arnst,". who' was rpwing'26 tovth'o minute , ,to Webb's 30: ,: .■ .' Theichallenger's spurt lasted fully a quarter of ; a mile,:; and'the. struggle provided a .splendid.'.'■'exhibition of 'EcuUing, \ the.'-'nnisb

the race m hand bofore he rounded the bond, and from that on ho could afford to watch his man and act as circumstances demanded. I believe that Arnst would admit that the hardest part of tho race was the first half, and that after wearing his man out ho contented himself with just maintaining his position sufficiently to tako no risks Immediately tho gun boomed ho rested on his oars, a world's champion still, and bent his head, bnt whether tho latter action uas to rest and regain his wind, or simply an acknowledgment of tho crowd's applause, only he could tell " AFTER THE CONTEST. THE CHAMPIONMNTERVIHWED, "WEBB A GREAT SCULLER ' ' (By Tclesraph-Special Koporter.) Wanganul, June 22. As soon as the race was ovor Arnst landed at his training quarters, and after seeing his boat safely housed proceeded to Mr. B. Karlo's residoneo for a rub donn.' ■ "Well, Dick, how do you feel nW ?" .asked one of his friends. .' ' . ."■■".-'•'■■ ■•■ - : "I'm , feeling right now," replied Arnst, "but, my. word, ho rowed' me!fo-a finish... I reckon he rowed the race of his life. Unlay." . "I'm certain ho did," interjected J. Arast. >"WeU,',what kind of a race was it?.".our. representative inquired,; ' ■ for a few. minutes all that I could get' by; way/of an answer was,-"By Jovo, ho can scull? , . .;'. '. "':■..-' ■■./ •••. ■:'••. ■ " '.'■■; "Webb got the best.of the start,' , said the champion. - "Just as I dipped I struck; a wave.■■„' I reckon I.was just ahead.of 'him at the mile. • What a spurt he.put in in the homo stretcli!': , .''.•.'. ' '.■ ..■■'''■' " : "Yes;" said ■J. >Arnst, "but' he put in .a bigger.ono at the bond." r-: :.v : ;.:';,: "Ho had me rowing all'tho way," said the champion. "He's as game as they make them." a/. .... ..>. ..■[.. ., K .■■■'■,'.•■■ The question of the timo then cropped upj there being various calculations brought in bytihoso present. ..'•-;v. • . . The-, champion laughed in a:happy;; lazy style as ho said, "Oh, I don't.'caro .what'.the time was. I won and. that's the-main thing; You know I've felt a ! bit doubtful about this race. -I was.a little/off colour awhile back, and have been told:since-I-had gastric influenza." ■■ ■-.'■ . ~, . ' ■■■• ..■■'■ ■'■■-■: The champion seemed deep in thought'for a little, and then he came out .with — "My word, I'm satisfied Wobb is a great sculler, r don't wonder' now the Wanganui people think- such a' lot of him." .■''• ': .. Another. , spell 'of thinking-brought'to.the champion's mind things before, the race, and he/said:,' '.'.'" '..;.',,, . .-, : - -, : .;■■'.- An Accident to the Boat. . "Bo yon know we knocked ■a. hole through my boat oii the .way .up?_ Yes, a scull' went : clean .through ..tlio , canvas and out at.the bottom,' iHowcver, we patched it up, arid it made no difference." ; He thought sculling twice as hard work as cycling, but bettor fun and much safer. .-■ "I was very pleased at the reception given me at tho finish." .. '. : "•■■-.''. "Yes," remarked his brother, evidently in groat delight, "they blew the in good, style! didn't they?" "Don't forget my Towns boat," said, the champion, "and I used a. pair of Norton's sculls, mado in Wellington. jiro beauties." ..- ,'.. . ; -.. '■■.-'.. " . ,''. .: /"How , was tho current ?'.' : • "It was certainly ,no stronger than in December. I should say about- tho same." J. Arnst agreed that this was so, ' ■ - -. The Future.' .■'■'..■ .' • Asko3.,'a3. tq the future, Arnst,.said:■"ho could say nothing definite until ho had-seen his backers, and they saw what turned up. He, has several invitations'. shooting,; etc; but ho does not-,'yot know Jto»" l«%'Ja Kia st«y tea. ■ '

have stood the severe struggle. Yies, it was a great race. I thought it, the: half-mile that Webb would lead for the rest of, ; tho way. Then' Dick began' to catch Him, and proved the faster mail; ,I'm quite satisfied with the great -racb Webb rowett, and ho !did.:his best. The 'timo •" shows! "what' • the pace; ! must.. have 'been'.' ,, ..-."''' '■[.- ■'■' -r. :.' ■.■ .\'".' ■'' '.'■': ■'.':. .'■' . v THE RACE TIME-TABLE. : The race time-table is as ; follows:—. ■ -■ ■'• First mile: smin.\ 15scc. '•■'•' : . Second mile: smin. 36isec. ' I Last mile and.a'quarter:.7min. 23Jsec. I ■ . Total for the course: 18min.. 15sec; . .. /DIFFERENCES OF OPINION. ' In th(3 opinion "of some, Webb established a slight.lead, in the first quarter of a 'mile,-, but-it was not apparent.to those with strong glasses on the'press boat; It may be that .he had the best of it, by a few feet for a.time, ■owing -to the advantage of, the position he ;heid. ;'.;;■. .„/..■ :; ■V^:' :: :-■ ■-;■

The local paper states that Webb led by three-quarters of a leiiijth at tho half-mile. The. same .paper, states:.-that! Arnst won by three lengths, whereas the judge gave it. five, and his view was supported by dozens on tho bank at the finishing post. One cannot, biit admire the fine loyalty to Webb ',6f. ' tho Wanganui peoplp, but they sliould not ajlow it te cloud their ■ judgment in giving ; an' account of a. world's ohanipionship,!sculling, .race, ' ' : r ■ ,"' v ■ ' ■ '•-,-,.- \\'■-.'■'::■■:".:.. 'With regard to tho gain • ,or .... otherwise through having • tfie left, or inside, ' position, Floyd says'that it is worth the best: part of. a. length in the first mile; and ■ perhaps, a cowjlp of loastbj for tho wholo coui'so, Wobb